There is a potential threat of disaster in various areas of Pakistan such as Northern Areas, Kashmir, Baluchistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), FATA, and parts of Sindh and the Punjab with approximately 30,000 such schools being located in seismically active zones. There, generally, is an agreement among experts that many schools collapse due to lack of knowledge and lack of policy formulation and guidelines for school site selection, design, construction, and use of construction material, etc. Equally contributing to such factors is lack of preparedness in schools in terms of evacuation plans, designated evacuation areas, and safety awareness. It is known that existing technology and knowledge can be applied in a cost effective manner to lower risks to schools. Promoting school safety is of strategic importance to overall community safety as activities related to school safety trickle down to the larger community through various means such as training of masons, interests of parents, and conveyance of information by children to the entire household. Educating school children on how to make their environment risk-free may lead to educated and safer generations.

Most of the school buildings and educational institutions do not comply with the hazard (such as earthquake, flooding, landslides and associated disasters) resistance designs, poorly constructed, and lacks preparedness and response plans. The floods of 2012 in Sindh, for example, had destroyed approximately 1,720 schools, causing major loss to the education system.

In the proposed districts schools are often located in congested areas making them vulnerable to various hazards; schools in rural areas often lack basic services and facilities making them vulnerable to various hazards; schools, especially old building lack repair and regular maintenance, causing injuries and deaths due to collapse; most schools are improperly sited and constructed without much consideration to hazards; and not much general or specific awareness on school safety issues etc. to flag a few. A safe school, where their children can be safe from all types of hazards and risks, probably, is the single most important desire of all parents.

School safety concerns have also been highlighted in many recent national and international commitments. Some the important one are as below:

There exist immense potential in the form of boy scouts and girl guides. These trained boys and girls are needed to be oriented and trained on school safety and DRR. Scouting can play a very vital role in forming the character of our youth, promoting their physical, mental and spiritual development and making them well disciplined, useful and good citizens. There is need for integration of DRR and safety aspects into the training and mentoring packages for boy scouts and girls guides.

Within this context there emerges increasing need for working with schools, communities and government departments in order to strengthen emergency preparedness and DRR in schools. This can be better accomplished through raising awareness and enhancing school risk management knowledge and skills through capacity building and training programs.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:

Improved sector policies, plans, coordination and communication for education and its role in disaster risk resilience – through identification of child vulnerability education and natural hazard information to ensure risk-informed programming.

Increased capacity of institutional stakeholders for improved school Safety and Preparedness and resilience in all 6 districts.

Increased capacity of children, parents, teachers and community members to prevent, reduce and cope with disasters caused by natural hazards and man-made disasters.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES:

Assessment data of schools available for DRR planning emergency preparedness and schools safety.

Support for adaptation/development of teacher training materials on Emergency Preparedness, School Safety and DRR, child-centered risk assessment and hazard mapping.

Training of pre- and in-service teachers (selected Head teachers and teachers) and education managers and Works & Services staff on DRR practices.

Capacity development of NDMA and PDMA in multi-hazard and child-centered risk assessment, risk management action planning and emergency preparedness.

5,905 children from 47 schools of 6 districts have better knowledge and understanding regarding DRR & school safety.

Organize training workshops for school safety action plans development n collaboration with provincial education departments & Develop and Disseminate DRR messages through media; Media campaign through Radio and other media (radio discussions, phone in programs)

Conduct quarterly meetings and coordination forums and organize working group meetings on DRR.

Support for adaptation/development of teacher training materials on Emergency Preparedness, School Safety and DRR, child-centered risk assessment and hazard mapping.

Procure DRR kits for provision to DMC members : Distribute the DRR kits in target schools/communities to DMCs ( 705 members of 47 Disaster Management Committees (DMCs) are trained on use of DRR Kit through demonstration trainings)

Increased capacity of institutional stakeholders for improved school safety and preparedness and resilience in all 6 districts.

Conduct training workshops for government officials on DRR & school safety: 150 government officials from 6 districts trained on school safety, preparedness and resilience.

Organize sessions for the formation of DRR Coordination Forums: 6 districts have multi-stakeholder coordination forums for developing and implementing integrated strategy on DRR & school safety.

Organize training workshops for capacity building of the members of DRR Coordination Forums on DRR and school safety.

Conduct Quarterly meetings of Coordination Forums.

Increased capacity of children, parents, teachers and community members to prevent, reduce and cope with disasters caused by natural hazards and man-made disasters.

Teaching Guide and Quiz Competitions in schools to increase a school competition and enables children to demonstrate their knowledge on disaster risk reduction through quiz competitions at district, provincial and national levels.